Grease composition

Abstract

Provided is a fat composition, which contains 70.0-96.5% by mass of edible fat, 0.5-10.0% by mass of diglyceryl monolaurate and 3.0-20.0% by mass of diglyceryl monooleate, wherein the content of diglyceryl monolaurate and the content of diglyceryl monooleate satisfy the following mathematical formula: [content of diglyceryl monooleate]×2≥[content of diglyceryl monolaurate].

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a fat and oil composition suitable as a food improver. Background Art

[0002] Instant noodles are typically manufactured through the following steps: mixing and kneading the raw materials (mixing and kneading step); rolling the kneaded dough into strips (rolling step); cutting the strips into noodle strands (cutting step); steaming the noodle strands (steaming step); forming the steamed noodles into a shape suitable for the packaging container (forming step); and drying the formed noodles (drying step).

[0003] The steaming step gelatinizes (gelatinizes) the starch on the surface of the noodles, strengthening the outer layer of the noodles and preventing breakage during the subsequent drying process. Furthermore, the steaming step causes the starch to swell, shortening the hot water reconstitution time of the final instant noodles. Therefore, the steaming step is essential in the production of instant noodles.

[0004] However, due to the gelatinization of the noodle surfaces during the steaming process, the noodles can stick together. This sticking of the noodles can easily lead to poor forming in the subsequent forming process. Furthermore, the resulting instant noodles are difficult to reconstitute in hot water at these stuck areas, resulting in an uneven texture.

[0005] Thus, the above-mentioned steaming process has a great influence on the quality of instant noodles.

[0006] To prevent noodles from sticking together during cooking and steaming, a conventional method involves spraying edible oil onto the surface of the noodles to improve their surface condition. Furthermore, to improve the adhesion of oil to the noodles, a method is also known in which an oil composition containing an emulsifier is applied to the surface of the noodles.

[0007] For example, Patent Document 1 describes a fat composition for steaming noodles, comprising a polyglycerol fatty acid ester having an esterification rate of 20% or less and an HLB of 8 to 12, and soybean lecithin. The composition is also described as a method for increasing the looseness of noodles by spraying the composition onto cooked Chinese noodles or udon noodles.

[0008] Furthermore, oils and fats or oil compositions are also used to prevent rice from clumping (improving its looseness). For example, Patent Document 2 describes a specific water-soluble oil preparation comprising an edible oil and fat blended with at least one selected from the group consisting of monooleate, monolaurate, and monomyristate of polyglycerol having a degree of polymerization of 2 or greater, enzymatically hydrolyzed lecithin and / or lecithin, and ethanol. The formulation states that adding this water-soluble oil preparation to cooking improves the looseness of the resulting rice and that even when tea is poured over the rice, no oil floating occurs.

[0009] Prior art literature

[0010] Patent Literature

[0011] Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-169

[0012] Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2005-323537 Summary of the Invention

[0013] The present invention provides a fat composition comprising 70.0-96.5 mass % of edible fat, 0.5-10.0 mass % of diglyceryl monolaurate and 3.0-20.0 mass % of diglyceryl monooleate, wherein the content of the diglyceryl monolaurate and the content of the diglyceryl monooleate satisfy the following mathematical formula:

[0014] [Content of diglyceryl monooleate] × 2 ≥ [Content of diglyceryl monolaurate].

[0015] The present invention also provides an oil-in-water emulsion composition comprising the oil of the above-mentioned oil and fat composition as an oil phase.

[0016] Furthermore, the present invention provides a food produced using the above-mentioned oil and fat composition or emulsified composition.

[0017] The present invention also provides a method for producing instant noodles, comprising the step of bringing the oil and fat composition or the emulsified composition into contact with steamed noodles to adhere the edible oil and fat to the surface of the noodles.

[0018] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for producing cooked rice, comprising the step of cooking the rice in the presence of the oil and fat composition or the emulsified composition.

[0019] In the present invention, the content of a component is an amount based on mass unless otherwise specified.

[0020] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the following description. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0021] In the production of instant noodles, the noodles are typically flavored after the steaming process to impart a desired flavor, such as saltiness. This flavoring can be achieved by spraying an aqueous liquid (hereinafter referred to as "flavoring liquid") containing dissolved flavoring ingredients, such as salt, onto the surface of the noodles. Therefore, spraying an emulsion obtained by mixing and emulsifying fat and the flavoring liquid onto the noodles allows for efficient, one-step flavoring of the noodles using the aqueous phase components and adhesion of the oil phase components to the noodle surface.

[0022] In practical use, the oil and fat composition used in the emulsion is required to have not only high quality stability (storage stability) as a preparation of the oil and fat composition, but also easy emulsification that allows it to be easily emulsified and dispersed into an oil-in-water type when mixed with a seasoning liquid, and high emulsion stability that can stably maintain the emulsified dispersion state even at high temperatures.

[0023] Furthermore, a fat composition that meets the above requirements is also useful for improving the looseness of cooked rice. If the fat composition can be easily emulsified and dispersed into a homogeneous emulsion when added to water during cooking, and can stably maintain the emulsified dispersion even when exposed to high cooking temperatures, the fat can be uniformly adhered to the entire cooked rice, resulting in high-quality cooked rice.

[0024] In addition, when cooking rice, soy sauce or dashi is added to the cooking water. Therefore, oil and fat compositions that can be easily emulsified and dispersed in a seasoning liquid and whose emulsified dispersion is stable even at high temperatures are highly versatile and practical for improving the looseness of cooked rice.

[0025] The present invention provides a fat or oil composition suitable as a food improver, wherein an emulsifier is stably dissolved in fat or oil. The composition can be easily emulsified and dispersed by gentle stirring to form an oil-in-water emulsion, not only when mixed with water but also when mixed with a seasoning liquid containing salt or the like. The emulsion also exhibits excellent emulsion stability at high temperatures.

[0026] The present invention also provides an oil-in-water emulsion composition comprising the oil of the above-mentioned oil and fat composition as an oil phase.

[0027] Furthermore, the present invention provides a food produced using the above-mentioned oil and fat composition or emulsified composition.

[0028] Furthermore, the present invention provides a method for producing instant noodles or rice, comprising using the above-mentioned oil and fat composition or emulsified composition.

[0029] The inventors of the present invention have discovered that an oil and fat composition comprising specific amounts of diglyceryl monolaurate and diglyceryl monooleate dissolved in a specific amount of edible oil and fat exhibits excellent solubility stability, is less likely to precipitate during storage, and exhibits excellent storage stability. Furthermore, the inventors have discovered that this oil and fat composition can easily form an oil-in-water emulsion simply by gentle stirring, not only when mixed with water but also when mixed with a salt-containing seasoning liquid. Furthermore, this emulsion exhibits excellent emulsion stability even at high temperatures.

[0030] The present invention has been completed through repeated studies based on these findings.

[0031] Next, preferred embodiments of the oil and fat composition of the present invention will be described.

[0032] The oil and fat composition of the present invention contains at least specific amounts of edible oil, diglyceryl monolaurate (hereinafter referred to as "DGML"), and diglyceryl monooleate (hereinafter referred to as "DGMO"). The components constituting the oil and fat composition of the present invention are described below in order.

[0033] The edible fats and oils used in the present invention are liquid at 20°C, preferably liquid at 5°C. In this specification, "liquid fats and oils at 20°C" refer to fats and oils having a solid fat content of 1% by mass or less at 20°C. Furthermore, "liquid fats and oils at 5°C" refer to fats and oils having a solid fat content of 1% by mass or less at 5°C. The solid fat content of fats and oils is measured according to the method described in "2.2.9 Solid Fat Content (NMR Method)" of the "Standard Test Methods for Analysis of Fats and Oils" established by the Japan Oil Chemists' Association.

[0034] The edible oils and fats used in the present invention are preferably vegetable oils and fats. Examples of such vegetable oils and fats include one or more oils and fats selected from soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, olive oil, palm oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, and transesterified oils or fractionated oils thereof. Preferred oils and fats are selected from soybean oil, rapeseed oil, and corn oil.

[0035] The fat and oil composition of the present invention has an edible fat content of 70.0 to 96.5% by mass. From the perspective of the flavor of the fat and oil composition, the edible fat content in the fat and oil composition of the present invention is preferably 75.0% by mass or more, more preferably 80.0% by mass or more, more preferably 85.0% by mass or more, even more preferably 87.0% by mass or more, and even more preferably 90.0% by mass or more. In addition, from the perspective of suppressing the adhesion of food, the edible fat content in the fat and oil composition of the present invention is preferably less than 96.0% by mass, more preferably 95.5% by mass or less, even more preferably 95.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 94.5% by mass or less.

[0036] The oil and fat composition of the present invention contains DGML in an amount of 0.5 to 10.0% by mass. Since the oil and fat composition of the present invention contains DGMO and the aforementioned specific amount of DGML, when used to prepare an oil-in-water emulsion, the heat resistance (emulsion stability at high temperatures) of the emulsion can be further improved, as can the salt and heat resistance (heat resistance when the aqueous phase contains salt). From the perspective of the stability of the emulsion, the DGML content in the oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably 0.8% by mass or greater, more preferably 1.0% by mass or greater. Furthermore, from the perspective of the salt and heat resistance of the emulsion, the DGML content in the oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably 8.0% by mass or less, more preferably 6.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 4.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 2.0% by mass or less.

[0037] The fat composition of the present invention contains DGMO in an amount of 3.0 to 20.0% by mass. Because the fat composition of the present invention contains this specific amount of DGMO, even with gentler stirring, when the fat composition of the present invention is mixed with water or an aqueous liquid, it can be easily emulsified and dispersed to form an oil-in-water emulsion. From the perspective of the flavor of the fat composition, the DGMO content in the fat composition of the present invention is preferably 15.0% by mass or less, more preferably 10.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 8.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 6.0% by mass or less.

[0038] In the oil and fat composition of the present invention, the content (mass %) of DGML and the content (mass %) of DGMO satisfy the relationship represented by the following mathematical formula (I).

[0039] [DGMO content] × 2 ≥ [DGML content] (I)

[0040] In the oil and fat composition of the present invention, since the DGML content and the DGMO content satisfy the above-mentioned mathematical formula (I), DGMO can effectively function as a solubilizing agent for dissolving DGML in oils and fats, further improving the solubility stability of DGML in edible oils and fats. From the perspective of improving the salt and heat resistance of the emulsified composition, the DGML content (mass %) and the DGMO content (mass %) preferably satisfy the following mathematical formula (II).

[0041] [DGMO content] ≥ [DGML content] × 2 (II)

[0042] The oil and fat composition of the present invention may further contain lecithin. By containing lecithin in the oil and fat composition of the present invention, the emulsion stability can be further improved when the oil and fat composition of the present invention is emulsified and dispersed in a seasoning liquid containing salt.

[0043] When the oil and fat composition of the present invention contains lecithin, the content of the lecithin in the oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably 0.5 to 3.0% by mass, more preferably 1.0 to 2.0% by mass.

[0044] By using the oil and fat composition of the present invention directly in various foods or, if necessary, in a state of being emulsified and dispersed in an aqueous phase in which a desired seasoning component is dissolved, the looseness, texture, flavor, taste, appearance, etc. of the food can be improved.

[0045] For example, in the production of instant noodles, by adhering to the surface of noodles after the steaming process, the noodles can be prevented from sticking together, resulting in noodles with excellent looseness. Furthermore, by emulsifying and dispersing the oil composition of the present invention in a seasoning liquid to prepare an emulsion, and spraying this emulsion onto the surface of noodles, the looseness of the noodles can be effectively improved and the desired flavor can be adjusted. Furthermore, the oil composition of the present invention allows for stable spraying of the emulsion onto the surface of the noodles, even at high temperatures. Therefore, the oil composition of the present invention is ideally suited for the industrial production of instant noodles and other products.

[0046] Furthermore, the oil and fat composition of the present invention can be easily emulsified and dispersed in water, for example, by adding it to cooking water. This emulsified state is stably maintained even at the high temperatures used during cooking, allowing the oil and fat to adhere more evenly to the surface of cooked rice. In other words, the looseness of the rice can be effectively improved. Furthermore, even when the cooking water contains seasoning ingredients such as salt, the oil and fat composition of the present invention can be easily emulsified and dispersed, and this emulsified state is stably maintained even at high temperatures. Therefore, even when cooking vegetable rice, the oil and fat composition of the present invention can be more evenly adhered to the surface of the rice.

[0047] Furthermore, the oil composition of the present invention can be used in chilled noodles, such as steamed stir-fried noodles, to improve their looseness during cooking. By applying the oil composition to the surface of the noodles after heating them, or by emulsifying and dispersing the oil composition, the noodles can be prevented from clumping during storage and cooking, improving their looseness.

[0048] Furthermore, the oil composition of the present invention can be used, for example, to improve the texture of non-fried snacks. In the production of non-fried snacks, the dough can be immersed in an emulsion obtained by emulsifying and dispersing the oil composition, or the emulsion can be sprayed onto the surface of the dough before the hot air drying step, thereby making the snack crispy and light in texture.

[0049] The oil composition of the present invention can also be used, for example, to maintain the texture of fried snacks. After frying the dough for the fried snack, the oil composition can be applied or sprayed onto the surface of the snack, or the snack can be immersed in the oil composition. This allows the oil composition to evenly cover the surface of the fried snack. This prevents deterioration in texture due to moisture absorption during storage, maintaining a crisp texture even over several days. Furthermore, using an emulsion obtained by emulsifying and dispersing the oil composition in a seasoning liquid not only maintains the texture of the fried snack but also allows the desired flavor adjustment.

[0050] The oil and fat composition of the present invention is formed by stably dissolving an emulsifier in an edible oil and fat. It is less susceptible to precipitation and exhibits high storage stability as a formulation. Furthermore, the oil and fat composition of the present invention can be easily emulsified and dispersed by gentle stirring, either when mixed with water or with a seasoning liquid, to form an oil-in-water emulsion. This emulsion also exhibits excellent emulsion stability at high temperatures. Therefore, the oil and fat composition of the present invention has high versatility as a food improver.

[0051] The oil and fat composition of the present invention is preferably used as a food adhesive inhibitor. While the food is not particularly limited, instant noodles (shredded noodles) or rice are preferred. Instant noodles are not particularly limited, and examples thereof include Chinese noodles, udon noodles, soba noodles, Italian noodles, and Vietnamese noodles. Rice can be cooked with water using white rice, brown rice, or germinated rice. It can also be cooked with a seasoning containing salt or broth, such as soy sauce, as in "Takikomi Gohan."

[0052] The method for preparing the oil and fat composition of the present invention is not particularly limited. The oil and fat composition of the present invention can be obtained by mixing the components of the oil and fat composition until they are homogeneous. This mixing is preferably performed under heating conditions, typically at about 60 to 90°C, while mixing until they are homogeneous.

[0053] Next, the oil-in-water emulsion composition of the present invention (hereinafter also referred to as “the emulsion composition of the present invention”) will be described.

[0054] The emulsion composition of the present invention contains the oil of the oil composition of the present invention as the oil phase (dispersed phase). The aqueous phase (continuous phase) constituting the emulsion composition of the present invention is water or an aqueous liquid. The aqueous phase may also be a seasoning liquid containing salt (table salt) and the like. The emulsion composition of the present invention exhibits excellent emulsion stability even when the aqueous phase contains salt. Therefore, by allowing the emulsion composition of the present invention to adhere to food, the flavoring components such as salt in the aqueous phase can be utilized to adjust the desired taste of the food, and the effect of the oil phase can be utilized to improve the looseness, mouthfeel, flavor, appearance, etc. of the food.

[0055] In the emulsified composition of the present invention, the mass ratio of the oil phase to the aqueous phase is not particularly limited and can be appropriately adjusted depending on the intended purpose. The mass ratio of the oil phase to the aqueous phase is generally, by mass, aqueous phase / oil phase = 99.5 / 0.5 to 90 / 10, preferably aqueous phase / oil phase = 99 / 1 to 95 / 5.

[0056] When the aqueous phase constituting the emulsified composition of the present invention is a seasoning liquid, the seasoning liquid may be salt water, or in addition to salt, may contain soy sauce, miso, fish sauce, sugar, sucrose, liquid sugar, fructose, mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine), sweeteners, meat extracts, shellfish extracts, vegetable extracts, sodium glutamate, sodium inosinate, sodium succinate, sodium guanylate, amino acids, acetic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, pigments, spices, etc. When the aqueous phase of the present invention is a seasoning liquid, there is no particular limitation on the content of solid components in the seasoning liquid and it can be appropriately adjusted according to the purpose. The content of salt in the seasoning liquid is generally 0.2 to 20% by mass, preferably 1 to 10% by mass.

[0057] For example, by formulating the emulsion composition of the present invention in the form of a seasoning liquid as the aqueous phase and spraying this emulsion composition onto the surface of noodle strands, the looseness of the noodles can be effectively improved, and the desired flavor of the noodles can be adjusted. Furthermore, the use of this emulsion composition allows for stable spraying of the emulsion composition onto the surface of the noodles even at high temperatures, making it suitable for use in the industrial production of instant noodles and other products.

[0058] Furthermore, the emulsion composition of the present invention, for example, when added to water used for cooking, forms an oil-in-water emulsion that mixes evenly with the water. This emulsion is stable even at high temperatures, allowing the oil phase components to adhere evenly to the surface of cooked rice, effectively improving the looseness of the cooked rice. Furthermore, even if the water used for cooking is a seasoning liquid containing flavoring ingredients such as salt, the oil-in-water emulsion composition of the present invention forms an oil-in-water emulsion that mixes evenly with the seasoning liquid. This emulsion is stable even at high temperatures, allowing the oil phase components of the emulsion composition to adhere evenly to the surface of cooked rice, for example, when cooking risotto. Furthermore, by appropriately adjusting the amount of the aqueous phase of the emulsion composition of the present invention or the concentration of the flavoring ingredients in the aqueous phase, the emulsion composition of the present invention can be used in place of the water used for cooking.

[0059] Furthermore, by spraying the emulsified composition of the present invention onto noodles that have been heated and washed, or by immersing the noodles in the emulsified composition, the oil phase component can be uniformly adhered to the surface of the noodles, effectively preventing the noodles from clumping during subsequent cooling and storage. Specifically, the use of the emulsified composition of the present invention enables the production of refrigerated noodles that are easy to cook and have excellent looseness when reheated.

[0060] Furthermore, the emulsion composition of the present invention can be sprayed onto the surface of dough during the production of non-fried snacks, thereby enabling the production of snacks with a crispy texture. Furthermore, the emulsion composition of the present invention maintains a stable emulsified state even when a flavoring liquid is used as its aqueous phase component. Therefore, by spraying the emulsion composition of the present invention containing a flavoring liquid as its aqueous phase component onto the surface of dough, a crispy texture can be imparted to the snack, and the flavor of the snack surface can be uniformly adjusted.

[0061] Furthermore, by spraying the emulsified composition of the present invention onto the surface of fried snacks, the crispy texture of the fried snacks can be maintained even after many days. Furthermore, the emulsified composition of the present invention can also be used to adjust the taste of fried snacks.

[0062] The emulsion composition of the present invention has excellent emulsion stability even at high temperatures and also has excellent emulsion stability even when its aqueous phase component is a seasoning liquid. Therefore, the oil-in-water emulsion composition of the present invention has high versatility as a modifier for various foods.

[0063] The emulsified composition of the present invention is preferably used as a food adhesive inhibitor. While the food is not particularly limited, instant noodles (noodle strings) or rice are preferred. Instant noodles are not particularly limited, and examples include Chinese noodles, udon noodles, soba noodles, Italian noodles, and Vietnamese noodles. The rice may be cooked in water using white rice, brown rice, or germinated rice. Alternatively, it may be cooked in a salty sauce-based sauce, such as soy sauce, as in "Takikomi Gohan."

[0064] The emulsified composition of the present invention can be obtained by mixing the oil and fat composition of the present invention with water or an aqueous liquid. The oil and fat composition of the present invention is easily emulsified and dispersed into an oil-in-water type simply by mixing with water or an aqueous liquid and gently stirring, thereby obtaining the emulsified composition of the present invention.

[0065] The food of the present invention is produced by using the oil and fat composition or emulsion composition of the present invention (i.e., the food is obtained by adding the oil and fat composition or emulsion composition of the present invention during the food manufacturing process). By using the oil and fat composition or emulsion composition of the present invention, the bulkiness, mouthfeel, flavor, taste, appearance, etc. of the food of the present invention are improved. Examples of such foods include instant noodles, rice, refrigerated noodles, cooked noodles, snacks, noodle snacks, and fried snacks.

[0066] The food of the present invention can be obtained by adding the oil or fat composition or emulsion composition of the present invention to a conventional manufacturing process for various foods. The food of the present invention is preferably prepared by attaching the oil or fat composition or emulsion composition of the present invention to the surface of the food during the manufacturing process, and allowing the attached liquid to penetrate into the food or fuse with the food surface. An example of a production method will be described below, using the case where the food of the present invention is instant noodles or rice.

[0067] Instant noodles are typically manufactured through at least the following steps: a step of blending and kneading the raw materials (blending and kneading step); a step of rolling the kneaded dough to form noodle strips (rolling step); a step of cutting the noodle strips into noodle strands (cutting step); a step of steaming the noodle strands (steaming step); a step of shaping the steamed noodles into a shape suitable for the packaging container (shaping step); and a step of drying the shaped noodles (drying step). The production of these instant noodles includes a step of contacting the oil and fat composition or emulsified composition of the present invention with the noodle strands (at least the noodle strands whose surface starch has been alpha-formed) after the steaming step, thereby allowing the edible oil and fat to adhere to the surface of the noodle strands. This allows instant noodles, which are one embodiment of the food product of the present invention, to be produced. In this specification, the phrase "adhering the edible oil and fat to the surface of the noodle strands" refers not only to the presence of the edible oil and fat on the surface of the noodle strands but also to the presence of a portion of the edible oil and fat permeating the noodle strands.

[0068] The method for contacting the oil or emulsion composition of the present invention with the noodles after the steaming step is not particularly limited. The oil or emulsion composition of the present invention can be brought into contact with the noodles by immersing the noodles in the oil or emulsion composition of the present invention or spraying the oil or emulsion composition onto the surface of the noodles. Contact of the oil or emulsion composition of the present invention with the noodles loosens the bonds between the noodles that were gelatinized during the steaming step and allows the oil to adhere to the surface of the noodles. In particular, the use of the emulsion composition of the present invention allows for more efficient release of bonds between the gelatinized noodles using water. Furthermore, by using the aqueous phase of the emulsion composition as a seasoning, the noodles can be flavored to their desired taste. Water adhering to the surface of the noodles can be removed by drying as needed.

[0069] When the steamed noodles are brought into contact with the oil and fat composition or the emulsified composition of the present invention, preferably 0.01 to 0.8 parts by mass of edible fat is adhered to 100 parts by mass of the noodles, and more preferably 0.05 to 0.5 parts by mass of edible fat is adhered to the noodles.

[0070] In the present invention, "instant noodles" refers to dried noodles that have undergone the drying process described above and are consumed by reconstitution in hot water. Instant noodles produced by the above method effectively dissolve the clumping of noodle strands that occurs during the steaming process and significantly suppress subsequent re-clinging, resulting in excellent formability and a high yield. Furthermore, the noodles reconstitute more uniformly in hot water, resulting in a superior texture upon consumption.

[0071] The instant noodle production method can produce high-quality instant noodles in which noodle strands are prevented from sticking to each other, are easily loosened, and are easily reconstituted with hot water.

[0072] Cooked rice is produced by cooking raw rice. When cooking, raw rice (raw rice after washing) is made to coexist with water or seasoning liquid, and cooked rice is obtained by heating. By adding the oil composition or emulsified composition of the present invention to the water or seasoning liquid during cooking, the oil and fat reach the entire rice more evenly during the cooking process, thereby obtaining cooked rice as one embodiment of the food of the present invention. The cooked rice is preferably obtained by adding the oil composition or emulsified composition of the present invention in such a manner that the edible oil and fat becomes 0.1 to 5 parts by mass relative to 100 parts by mass of raw rice. There is no particular limitation on the time of adding the oil composition or emulsified composition of the present invention, and it can be added before, during or after cooking, but it is preferably added before cooking.

[0073] The above-mentioned method for producing cooked rice allows fat to be more evenly adhered to the entire cooked rice, thereby effectively suppressing the adhesion of rice grains, and thus providing cooked rice with excellent looseness, flavor, and appearance.

[0074] Regarding the above-mentioned embodiment, the present invention discloses the following oil and fat composition, oil-in-water emulsion composition, food, method for producing instant noodles, and method for producing cooked rice.

[0075] <1>

[0076] A fat composition comprising 70.0-96.5% by mass of edible fat, 0.5-10.0% by mass of DGML, and 3.0-20.0% by mass of DGMO, wherein the content of the DGML and the content of the DGMO satisfy the following mathematical formula:

[0077] [Content of DGMO] × 2 ≥ [Content of DGML].

[0078] <2>

[0079] In the oil and fat composition according to <1>, the edible oil and fat is preferably an oil and fat that is liquid at 20°C, and more preferably an oil and fat that is liquid at 5°C.

[0080] <3>

[0081] The oil and fat composition described in <1> or <2> above, wherein the edible oil and fat is preferably a vegetable oil and fat, more preferably one or more oils and fats selected from soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, olive oil, palm oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, and their transesterified oils or fractionated oils, and even more preferably one or more oils and fats selected from soybean oil, rapeseed oil, and corn oil.

[0082] <4>

[0083] The oil or fat composition according to any one of <1> to <3> above, wherein the content of edible oil or fat in the oil or fat composition is preferably 75.0% by mass or more, more preferably 80.0% by mass or more, further preferably 85.0% by mass or more, further preferably 87.0% by mass or more, further preferably 90.0% by mass or more.

[0084] <5>

[0085] The fat or oil composition according to any one of <1> to <4>, wherein the content of edible fat or oil in the fat or oil composition is preferably less than 96.0% by mass, more preferably 95.5% by mass or less, even more preferably 95.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 94.5% by mass or less.

[0086] <6>

[0087] The oil and fat composition according to any one of <1> to <5> above, wherein the content of edible oil and fat in the oil and fat composition is preferably 75.0 to 96.5% by mass, more preferably 80.0 to 96.5% by mass, even more preferably 80.0% to 96.0% by mass, even more preferably 85.0 to 95.5% by mass, even more preferably 85.0 to 95.0% by mass, even more preferably 87.0 to 94.5% by mass, even more preferably 90.0 to 94.5% by mass.

[0088] <7>

[0089] The fat or oil composition according to any one of <1> to <6>, wherein the content of DGML in the fat or oil composition is preferably 0.8% by mass or more, more preferably 1.0% by mass or more.

[0090] <8>

[0091] The oil or fat composition according to any one of <1> to <7>, wherein the content of DGML in the oil or fat composition is preferably 8.0% by mass or less, more preferably 6.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 5.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 4.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 3.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 2.0% by mass or less.

[0092] <9>

[0093] The oil or fat composition according to any one of <1> to <8> above, wherein the content of DGML in the oil or fat composition is preferably 0.5 to 8.0 mass%, more preferably 0.5 to 6.0 mass%, even more preferably 0.5 to 5.0 mass%, even more preferably 0.8 to 4.0 mass%, even more preferably 0.8 to 3.0 mass%, even more preferably 1.0 to 2.0 mass%.

[0094] <10>

[0095] The oil or fat composition according to any one of <1> to <9>, wherein the DGMO content in the oil or fat composition is preferably 15.0% by mass or less, more preferably 10.0% by mass or less, even more preferably 8.0% by mass or less, and even more preferably 6.0% by mass or less.

[0096] <11>

[0097] The oil or fat composition according to any one of <1> to <10>, wherein the DGMO content in the oil or fat composition is preferably 3.0 to 15.0% by mass, more preferably 3.0 to 10.0% by mass, even more preferably 3.0 to 8.0% by mass, and even more preferably 3.0 to 6.0% by mass.

[0098] <12>

[0099] The oil and fat composition according to any one of <1> to <11>, wherein the content (mass %) of DGML and the content (mass %) of DGMO in the oil and fat composition preferably satisfy the following mathematical formula:

[0100] [DGMO content] ≥ [DGML content] × 2.

[0101] <13>

[0102] The oil or fat composition according to any one of <1> to <12> above preferably contains lecithin.

[0103] <14>

[0104] The oil or fat composition according to <13>, wherein the content of lecithin in the oil or fat composition is preferably 0.5% by mass or more, more preferably 1.0% by mass or more.

[0105] <15>

[0106] The oil or fat composition according to <13> or <14>, wherein the content of lecithin in the oil or fat composition is preferably 3.0% by mass or less, more preferably 2.0% by mass or less.

[0107] <16>

[0108] The oil or fat composition according to any one of <13> to <15>, wherein the content of lecithin in the oil or fat composition is preferably 0.5 to 3.0% by mass, more preferably 1.0 to 2.0% by mass.

[0109] <17>

[0110] The oil and fat composition according to any one of <1> to <16> above is preferably a food improver, more preferably a food sticking inhibitor.

[0111] <18>

[0112] The oil and fat composition described in <17> above, wherein the food is preferably instant noodles, rice, refrigerated noodles, cooked noodles, snacks, noodle snacks or fried snacks.

[0113] <19>

[0114] In the oil and fat composition described in <18>, the instant noodles, refrigerated noodles, and cooked noodles are preferably Chinese noodles, udon noodles, soba noodles, Italian noodles, or Vietnamese noodles.

[0115] <20>

[0116] An oil-in-water emulsion composition comprising, as an oil phase, the oil of the oil and fat composition according to any one of <1> to <19> above.

[0117] <21>

[0118] The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to <20>, wherein the amount ratio of the oil phase to the water phase in the oil-in-water emulsion composition is preferably water phase / oil phase = 99.5 / 0.5 to 90 / 10, more preferably water phase / oil phase = 99 / 1 to 95 / 5, in terms of mass ratio.

[0119] <22>

[0120] The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to <20> or <21>, wherein the aqueous phase of the oil-in-water emulsion composition is preferably a seasoning liquid.

[0121] <23>

[0122] In the oil-in-water emulsion composition according to <22>, the seasoning liquid preferably contains salt.

[0123] <24>

[0124] The oil-in-water emulsion composition described in <23> above, wherein the seasoning liquid preferably contains ingredients selected from soy sauce, miso, fish sauce, sugar, sucrose, liquid sugar, fructose, mirin, sweeteners, meat extracts, seafood extracts, vegetable extracts, sodium glutamate, sodium inosinate, sodium succinate, sodium guanylate, amino acids, acetic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, pigments and spices.

[0125] <25>

[0126] In the oil-in-water emulsion composition according to <23> or <24>, the content of common salt in the seasoning liquid is preferably 0.2 to 20% by mass, more preferably 1 to 10% by mass.

[0127] <26>

[0128] The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to any one of <20> to <25> is preferably a food improver, more preferably a food sticking inhibitor.

[0129] <27>

[0130] In the oil-in-water emulsion composition according to <26>, the food is preferably instant noodles, rice, refrigerated noodles, cooked noodles, snacks, noodle snacks, or fried snacks.

[0131] <28>

[0132] In the oil-in-water emulsion composition according to <27>, the instant noodles, refrigerated noodles, and cooked noodles are preferably Chinese noodles, udon noodles, soba noodles, Italian noodles, or Vietnamese noodles.

[0133] <29>

[0134] A food produced using the oil and fat composition described in any one of <1> to <19> above or the oil-in-water emulsion composition described in any one of <20> to <28> above.

[0135] <30>

[0136] The food described in <29> above, wherein the food is preferably instant noodles, rice, refrigerated noodles, cooked noodles, snacks, noodle snacks or fried snacks.

[0137] <31>

[0138] The food described in <30> above, wherein the instant noodles, refrigerated noodles and cooked noodles are preferably Chinese noodles, udon noodles, soba noodles, Italian noodles or Vietnamese noodles.

[0139] <32>

[0140] A method for producing instant noodles, comprising: bringing the oil and fat composition described in any one of <1> to <19> above or the oil-in-water emulsion composition described in any one of <20> to <28> above into contact with steamed noodles, thereby causing the edible oil and fat to adhere to the surface of the noodles.

[0141] <33>

[0142] The method for producing instant noodles described in <32> above, wherein the contact between the oil composition or the oil-in-water emulsion composition and the noodle strands after the steaming step is carried out by immersing the noodle strands in the oil composition or the emulsion composition, or by spraying the oil composition or the emulsion composition onto the surface of the noodle strands.

[0143] <34>

[0144] The method for producing instant noodles described in <32> or <33> above, wherein the oil composition or the oil-in-water emulsion composition is brought into contact with the noodles after the steaming step in such a manner that 0.01 to 0.8 parts by mass of the edible oil is attached to 100 parts by mass of the noodles.

[0145] <35>

[0146] A method for producing cooked rice, comprising the step of cooking the rice in the presence of the oil or fat composition described in any one of <1> to <19> above or the oil-in-water emulsion composition described in any one of <20> to <28> above.

[0147] <36>

[0148] The method for producing cooked rice described in <35> includes the step of adding the oil composition or the oil-in-water emulsion composition to water or a seasoning liquid used for cooking so that the amount of edible oil is 0.1 to 5 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of raw rice, and cooking the rice.

[0149] Example

[0150] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0151] [Preparation Example 1] Preparation of oil and fat composition

[0152] Rapeseed oil (trade name: rapeseed salad oil (S), manufactured by Nisshin OiliO Co., Ltd.) and corn oil (trade name: corn oil (S), manufactured by Nisshin OiliO Co., Ltd.) were used as edible oils and fats.

[0153] As emulsifiers, DGMO (trade name: SUNSOFT Q-17D, manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB 7.5), DGML (trade name: SUNSOFT Q-12D, manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB 8.5), diglyceryl sesquioleate (trade name: SUNSOFT Q-17B, manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB 6.5), triglyceryl monostearate (trade name: SY GLYSTER MS-3S, manufactured by Sakamoto Yakuhin Kogyo Co., Ltd., HLB 8.4), tetraglyceryl monooleate (trade name: SY GLYSTER MO-3S, manufactured by Sakamoto Yakuhin Kogyo Co., Ltd., HLB 8.8), pentaglyceryl trioleate (trade name: SUNSOFT A173E, manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB 7.0), pentaglyceryl trimyristate (trade name: SUNSOFT A143E, manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB 8.0), hexaglyceryl tristearate (trade name: SY GLYSTER TS-5S, manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., HLB 7.4), Tetraglyceryl Monolaurate (Trade Name: SY GLYSTER MS-310, manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., HLB 10.3), Pentaglyceryl Monolaurate (Trade Name: SUNSOFT A-121E, manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., HLB 14.0), Pentaglyceryl Monostearate (Trade Name: SUNSOFT A-181E, manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd., HLB 13.0), Hexaglyceryl Monolaurate (Trade Name: SY GLYSTER ML-500, manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., HLB 13.5), Hexaglyceryl Monooleate (Trade Name: SY GLYSTER MO-5S, manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., HLB 11.6), Hexaglyceryl Monostearate (Trade Name: SY GLYSTER MS-5S, manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., HLB 12.0), decaglyceryl monolaurate (trade name: RYOTO Polyglycerol Ester L-7D, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Foods Co., Ltd., HLB 15.5), decaglyceryl monooleate (trade name: SY GLYSTER MO-7S, manufactured by Sakamoto Pharmaceutical Industry Co., Ltd., HLB 12.9), decaglyceryl monostearate (trade name: SUNSOFT Q-18S, manufactured by Taiyo Chemical Co., Ltd., HLB 11.6).

[0154] As lecithin, Yelkin-TS (trade name, manufactured by Archer Daniels Midland Company) was used.

[0155] Using the various raw materials described above, fat compositions having the composition (unit: mass %) shown in the table below were prepared. When lecithin was not added, edible fats and oils were mixed with an emulsifier and stirred at 80°C for 30 minutes to obtain fat compositions (Examples 1-15, Comparative Examples 1-15, Comparative Examples 19-24). When lecithin was added, edible fats and oils were mixed with an emulsifier and stirred at 80°C for 30 minutes. Lecithin was then added and stirred at 80°C for 10 minutes to obtain fat compositions (Examples 16-26, Comparative Examples 16-18, Comparative Examples 25-42).

[0156] [Test Example 1] Evaluation of Flavor of Oil and Fat Composition

[0157] Each fat and oil composition prepared in Preparation Example 1 was cooled to room temperature, and the flavor of the fat and oil composition was evaluated by five panelists using the evaluation criteria described below. The evaluation criteria for flavor were as follows. The evaluation results from all five panelists were consistent.

[0158] (Flavor Evaluation Criteria)

[0159] A: I don't notice any odor from the emulsifier.

[0160] B: The odor of the emulsifier was detected.

[0161] [Test Example 2] Dissolution stability of emulsifier

[0162] Each oil and fat composition prepared in Preparation Example 1 was cooled to room temperature. 50 mL of each oil and fat composition was then poured into five bottles (bottom diameter 4.0 cm, height 7.5 cm) and sealed. After standing at 20°C for one week, the appearance was visually observed and evaluated according to the following criteria. The results are shown in the table below.

[0163] (Evaluation criteria for dissolution stability of emulsifiers)

[0164] A: No precipitation was produced in any of the 5 bottles.

[0165] B: Precipitation occurred in one or more bottles.

[0166] The following emulsion stability test (heat resistance test, heat and salt resistance test) was performed on the composition whose evaluation result was A in the above-mentioned Test Example 2.

[0167] [Test Example 3] Heat resistance test of oil-in-water emulsion composition

[0168] For each grease composition prepared in Preparation Example 1 above, 49.0 g of pure water was mixed and slowly stirred for 5 minutes to emulsify and disperse into an oil-in-water type. Next, slow stirring was continued in an 80°C water bath for 1 hour. After that, the mixture was returned to room temperature and allowed to stand for 20 minutes. The emulsified state was visually observed and evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in the table below. In addition, the same test was carried out 5 times for each grease composition, and the same evaluation results were obtained. In this test, the evaluation result "4" was set as qualified.

[0169] (Evaluation Criteria)

[0170] 4: The whole thing becomes homogeneous white turbidity and is in a uniform emulsified dispersion state.

[0171] 3: A creamy layer forms on the surface. The area outside the creamy layer becomes uniformly white and opaque.

[0172] 2: A cream layer forms on the surface. The area outside the cream layer is uniformly turbid, but the turbidity is slightly thin and translucent.

[0173] 1: Oil and water are separated and the whole is transparent.

[0174] [Test Example 4] Heat and Salt Resistance Test of Oil-in-Water Emulsion Composition

[0175] With respect to 1 g of each grease composition prepared in Preparation Example 1 above, 49.0 g of 10% by mass salt solution was mixed and slowly stirred for 5 minutes to emulsify and disperse into an oil-in-water type. Next, slow stirring was continued in a 60°C water bath for 1 hour. After that, the mixture was returned to room temperature and allowed to stand for 20 minutes. The emulsified state was visually observed and evaluated according to the same evaluation criteria as in Test Example 3 above. The results are shown in the table below. In addition, the same test was carried out 5 times for each grease composition, and the same evaluation results were obtained. In this test, an evaluation result of "2 or more" was considered qualified.

[0176]

[0177]

[0178]

[0179]

[0180]

[0181] As shown in the above tables, when the oil and fat composition contains only DGMO as an emulsifier, although the storage stability of the oil and fat composition itself as a formulation is good, the heat resistance and salt resistance when formed into an oil-in-water emulsion composition are poor (Comparative Examples 1 to 5).

[0182] In addition, when the oil and fat composition contained only DGML as an emulsifier, precipitation occurred during storage of the oil and fat composition, resulting in poor practicality (Comparative Examples 7 and 8). Furthermore, even when the oil and fat composition did not contain DGMO, the storage stability of the oil and fat composition could be improved by reducing the DGML content to a predetermined level. However, in this case, the emulsion stability of the oil and fat composition was poor when formed into an oil-in-water emulsion composition (Comparative Example 6).

[0183] In addition, even when the oil and fat composition contains both emulsifiers, DGMO and DGML, if the content of DGMO is less than the amount specified in the present invention, when it is emulsified and dispersed in an aqueous liquid containing salt, the emulsified form cannot be stably maintained at high temperatures (Comparative Examples 9, 10, 16 to 18). Conversely, when the content of DGMO is greater than the amount specified in the present invention, when it is emulsified and dispersed in water, the emulsified form cannot be stably maintained at high temperatures (Comparative Example 14).

[0184] In addition, when the content of DGMO and the content of DGML in the oil and fat composition do not satisfy the relationship specified in the present invention, precipitation occurs during storage of the oil and fat composition, resulting in poor practicality (Comparative Examples 11 and 12).

[0185] Furthermore, when the oil and fat composition contains both emulsifiers, DGMO and DGML, if the DGML content is less or more than the amount specified in the present invention, the emulsified form cannot be stably maintained at high temperatures when the composition is emulsified and dispersed in water (Comparative Examples 13 and 15).

[0186] In addition, in the case of oil and fat compositions in which other emulsifiers were added instead of DGMO while keeping the DGML content within the range specified in the present invention, precipitation occurred during storage of the oil and fat compositions, resulting in poor practicality (Comparative Examples 20 to 24), or poor emulsion stability (Comparative Example 19).

[0187] Furthermore, oil and fat compositions containing other emulsifiers instead of DGML while keeping the DGMO content within the range specified in the present invention produced precipitation during storage of the oil and fat compositions, resulting in poor practicality (Comparative Examples 25 to 42).

[0188] In contrast, oil and fat compositions in which the contents of DGMO and DGML are both within the ranges specified by the present invention and the content of DGMO and DGML satisfy the relationship specified by the present invention have excellent storage stability as a preparation. When an oil-in-water emulsion composition is prepared using this oil and fat composition as the oil phase, it exhibits excellent emulsion stability even at high temperatures. Furthermore, even when the aqueous phase contains a high concentration of salt, it exhibits a certain degree of emulsion stability at high temperatures (Examples 1 to 26).

[0189] [Preparation Example 2] Preparation of rice

[0190] 600 g of raw rice (Niigata-produced "Koshihikari," produced in 2014) was washed, soaked in 20°C water for 1.5 hours, and then drained through a sieve. To this soaked rice, 700 g of water was added, followed by 6 g of rapeseed oil or 6 g of the oil and fat composition of Example 2, Example 10, Example 22, Comparative Example 4, or Comparative Example 10. The mixture was then lightly mixed and cooked in a rice cooker.

[0191] The cooked rice was spread on a flat plate and stirred with a rice spatula for about 1 minute. It was then allowed to stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to cool slightly before being used as the test rice.

[0192] [Test Example 5] Evaluation of dispersibility into cooked rice

[0193] In Preparation Example 2, instead of 6 g of rapeseed oil or 6 g of the oil and fat composition, 6 g of rapeseed oil or 6 g of the oil and fat composition was mixed with 0.1% by mass of β-carotene (manufactured by DSM NUTRITION JAPAN). The dispersibility of the rapeseed oil and the oil and fat composition in cooked rice was evaluated based on the degree of color diffusion of the β-carotene according to the following evaluation criteria.

[0194] (Evaluation criteria for the dispersibility of rice)

[0195] A: The rice is evenly colored (the oil is mixed into the rice).

[0196] B: The rice is almost evenly colored.

[0197] C: Uneven coloring (the oil is dispersed in some parts of the rice in an uneven manner).

[0198] [Test Example 6] Evaluation of looseness

[0199] The test rice obtained in the above-mentioned Preparation Example 2 was evaluated for looseness according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in the following table.

[0200] (Evaluation criteria for looseness)

[0201] A: The rice grains are generally prevented from sticking to each other and are easily loosened.

[0202] B: The product is loose as a whole, but there are some lumps.

[0203] C: The rice grains are strongly bonded to each other as a whole and are difficult to separate.

[0204] [Test Example 7] Evaluation of taste

[0205] The test rice obtained in Preparation Example 2 was tasted after being stored at 15°C for 2 hours and after being stored at 15°C for 24 hours, and the taste was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in the table below.

[0206] (Taste Evaluation Criteria)

[0207] A: I don't feel any greasiness from oil.

[0208] B: Feeling greasy.

[0209] [Test Example 8] Evaluation of Appearance

[0210] The appearance of the test rice obtained in Preparation Example 2 was visually observed after being stored at 15°C for 2 hours and after being stored at 15°C for 24 hours, and evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in the table below.

[0211] (Appearance Evaluation Criteria)

[0212] A: The rice is shiny overall.

[0213] B: The rice is dull overall.

[0214] [Table 6]

[0215]

[0216] As shown in Table 6, by adding the oil and fat composition of the present invention to the water used for cooking, the oil and fat composition was homogeneously emulsified and dispersed in the water, uniformly blending (dispersing) throughout the cooked rice, resulting in rice with excellent looseness. Furthermore, the rice had no perceptible off-flavor derived from the oil and fat composition and had a good gloss.

[0217] [Test Example 8] Evaluation of the looseness of noodles

[0218] Raw noodles (trade name: Hosomen (thin noodles), manufactured by Men Kokoroya) were boiled in boiling water for 1 minute, drained, and the slime on the noodles' surface was removed with ion-exchanged water. 20 g of the resulting noodles were immersed for 30 seconds in 30 mL of a dilution (loose liquid) containing an oil-in-water emulsion diluted with water to a 2.0% by mass content of the oil and fat composition of Example 2, Example 8, Example 10, Example 14, Example 22, Comparative Example 4, or Comparative Example 10. The noodles were then removed, the excess dilution adhering to the noodles removed with air, and placed in a cup. Nine cups containing noodles immersed in the dilution and then having the excess removed were prepared in the same manner (a total of 10 cups). After the noodles were allowed to rest for 10 minutes from the time of placement in the cup, 10 strands of noodle strands were removed one at a time. The looseness of each of the 100 noodles (10 noodles x 10 cups) taken out was evaluated according to the following evaluation criteria. Based on the evaluation results, the looseness rate was calculated by the following formula. The results are shown in Table 7.

[0219] <Evaluation Criteria for Looseness>

[0220] A: The noodles are not cut and can be taken out one at a time.

[0221] B: When taking out noodles, the noodles will be cut or lumps of noodles will appear.

[0222] Loose rate (%) = 100 × [number of roots evaluated by A] / [total number of roots evaluated by A and number of roots evaluated by B (ie, 100 roots)]

[0223] [Table 7]

[0224]

[0225] As shown in Table 7, it was found that the looseness of the noodles was significantly improved by using the oil and fat composition of the examples.

[0226] [Preparation Example 3] Preparation of Instant Chinese Noodles

[0227] In 35 parts by mass of water, 1.5 parts by mass of salt and 0.4 parts by mass of powdered kansui (manufactured by Oriental Yeaster Industries, Ltd.) were dissolved to prepare kansui water. This kansui water was added to 100 parts by mass of wheat flour and mixed for 15 minutes to prepare a minced meat dough.

[0228] The noodles were rolled using a noodle-making roll with a roll gap of 4.5 mm, 3.0 mm, and 2.0 mm, respectively. The noodles were then rolled again using a noodle-making roll to form a strip of noodles with a thickness of approximately 1.25 mm. A No. 18 angle milling cutter was then used to cut noodle strands (1.25 mm in width), which were then cut into approximately 30 cm lengths to obtain raw Chinese noodles. The resulting raw Chinese noodles were steamed in a steam cooker for 3 minutes to obtain steamed Chinese noodles. 80 g of the steamed Chinese noodles were immersed in 100 mL of the loose liquid containing the emulsion composition of Example 22 in the loose liquid, and formed into a cylindrical shape with a diameter of 10 cm on a metal mesh. The remaining loose liquid was then removed by blowing air, and the noodles were dried in a hot air dryer to a moisture content of approximately 10%, thereby obtaining instant Chinese noodles.

[0229] The prepared instant Chinese noodles were reconstituted in boiling water for 4 minutes. After reconstitution, the noodles were quickly and easily loosened by simply fluffing them 2-3 times with chopsticks.

[0230] The above describes the implementation methods and examples of the present invention, but unless otherwise specified, any details in the above description are not intended to limit the present invention. These contents should be interpreted in a broad scope without violating the spirit and scope of the invention shown in the claims.

[0231] This application claims the benefit of priority based on Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-133831 filed in Japan on July 2, 2015, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference as a part of the description of this specification.

Claims

1. A grease composition, wherein Contains 70.0-96.5% by mass of edible oil, 0.5-10.0% by mass of diglyceryl monolaurate and 3.0-20.0% by mass of diglyceryl monooleate. The content of the monolauric acid diglyceride and the content of the monooleic acid diglyceride satisfy the following mathematical formula: The content of diglyceryl monooleate × 2 ≥ the content of diglyceryl monolaurate.

2. The grease composition according to claim 1, wherein The edible oil is liquid at 20°C.

3. The grease composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein The edible oil is one or more oils selected from soybean oil, rapeseed oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, olive oil, palm oil, rice bran oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil and their transesterified oils or fractionated oils.

4. The grease composition according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein The oil and fat composition contains edible oil and fat in an amount of 75.0% by mass or more.

5. The oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein The oil and fat composition has an edible oil and fat content of less than 96.0% by mass.

6. The oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein In the oil and fat composition, the content of diglyceryl monolaurate is 0.8% by mass or more.

7. The oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein In the oil and fat composition, the content of diglyceryl monolaurate is 8.0% by mass or less.

8. The oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein In the oil and fat composition, the content of diglyceryl monooleate is 15.0% by mass or less.

9. The oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein In the oil and fat composition, the content of the edible oil is 85.0-96.5% by mass, the content of the monolauric acid diglyceryl is 0.5-5.0% by mass, the content of the monooleic acid diglyceryl is 3.0-10.0% by mass, The content of the monolauric acid diglyceride and the content of the monooleic acid diglyceride satisfy the following mathematical formula: The content of diglyceryl monooleate ≥ the content of diglyceryl monolaurate × 2.

10. The oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein The oil and fat composition contains lecithin.

11. The grease composition according to claim 10, wherein The oil and fat composition contains 0.5 to 3.0% by mass of lecithin.

12. The grease composition according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein The composition is a food adhesion inhibitor.

13. The grease composition according to claim 12, wherein The food is instant noodles, rice, refrigerated noodles, cooked noodles or snacks.

14. The grease composition according to claim 12, wherein The food is a noodle snack or a fried snack.

15. The grease composition according to claim 13, wherein The instant noodles, refrigerated noodles and cooked noodles are Chinese noodles, udon noodles, buckwheat noodles, Italian noodles or Vietnamese noodles.

16. An oil-in-water emulsion composition, wherein The oil phase comprises the oil or fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15.

17. The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to claim 16, wherein In the oil-in-water emulsion composition, the amount ratio of the oil phase to the water phase is, by mass, water phase / oil phase = 99.5 / 0.5 to 90 / 10.

18. The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to claim 16 or 17, wherein The aqueous phase constituting the oil-in-water emulsion composition contains salt.

19. The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to any one of claims 16 to 18, wherein The water phase of the oil-in-water emulsion composition is a seasoning liquid.

20. The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to claim 19, wherein The seasoning liquid contains salt.

21. The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to claim 19 or 20, wherein The seasoning liquid comprises ingredients selected from soy sauce, miso, fish sauce, mirin, sweeteners, meat extracts, seafood extracts, vegetable extracts, sodium glutamate, sodium inosinate, sodium succinate, sodium guanylate, amino acids, acetic acid, citric acid, malic acid, lactic acid, tartaric acid, pigments and spices.

22. The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to claim 19 or 20, wherein The seasoning liquid contains ingredients selected from granulated sugar, sucrose, liquid sugar, and fructose.

23. The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to any one of claims 20 to 22, wherein The content of common salt in the seasoning liquid is 0.2 to 20% by mass.

24. The oil-in-water emulsion composition according to any one of claims 16 to 23, wherein The composition is a food adhesion inhibitor.

25. A food, wherein The food is produced using the oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15 or the oil-in-water emulsion composition according to any one of claims 16 to 24.

26. The food product according to claim 25, wherein The food is instant noodles or rice.

27. A method for producing instant noodles, wherein: include: A step of allowing the oil and fat composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15 or the oil-in-water emulsion composition according to any one of claims 16 to 24 to contact the noodles after the steaming step, thereby allowing the edible oil and fat to adhere to the surface of the noodles.

28. The method for producing instant noodles according to claim 27, wherein: The contact between the oil and fat composition or the oil-in-water emulsion composition and the noodles after the steaming step is carried out by immersing the noodles in the oil and fat composition or the emulsion composition, or by spraying the oil and fat composition or the emulsion composition onto the surface of the noodles.

29. The method for producing instant noodles according to claim 27 or 28, wherein: The oil and fat composition or the oil-in-water emulsion composition is brought into contact with the noodles after the steaming step so that 0.01 to 0.8 parts by mass of the edible oil and fat adheres to 100 parts by mass of the noodles.

30. A method for producing rice, wherein: include: A step of cooking rice in the presence of the fat or oil composition according to any one of claims 1 to 15 or the oil-in-water emulsion composition according to any one of claims 16 to 24.

31. The method for producing cooked rice according to claim 30, wherein: include: A step of adding the oil composition or the oil-in-water emulsion composition to water or a seasoning liquid for cooking so as to provide 0.1 to 5 parts by mass of edible oil per 100 parts by mass of raw rice and cooking the rice.

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